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Multiple-Meaning Words

A multiple-meaning word is spelled and said the same way but means different things: a bat flies at night, and you hit a ball with a bat. Context is the only clue, which is why these words are such good reading practice.

Here are 120 multiple-meaning words from past ClueBy puzzles, each with a real example sentence for every meaning. Use them as a reference, or make a printable worksheet below.

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Students read each sentence and write the missing word. Every word appears in several sentences, each time with a different meaning.

Words on the sheet
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Word bank
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Multiple-Meaning Words

Name: ____________________Date: __________

Write the missing word from the word bank in each sentence. Each word is used more than once, with a different meaning each time.

Word bank: cap · pit · degree · ball · sharp · pass · stand · lie

  1. The hunter does not ________________ down with the prey.
  2. A ________________ is a veil over the lips.
  3. Jarno Trulli was disqualified for passing a red light at the ________________ exit.
  4. The King held a masked ________________.
  5. A smaller training pitch was installed beside the main ________________.
  6. Have you ever swallowed an apricot ________________?
  7. I was having a ________________ recording these guys.
  8. It's best to wear a ________________ on your head during the cold Moscow winters.
  9. The kitten curled into a ________________.
  10. The train was so full that I had to ________________ all the while.
  11. He's quite ________________, isn't he?
  12. Can you put the ________________ back on the pen?
  13. No doubt you will be able to ________________ the examination.
  14. It's one o'clock ________________.
  15. You can't go backstage without a ________________.
  16. A university ________________ is the ticket to a successful career.
  17. I can't ________________ this cold.
  18. Is it always a sin to tell a ________________?
  19. To what ________________ are you interested in baseball?
  20. We wanted to take a walk to ________________ the time.
  21. The polar ice ________________ is melting.
  22. Boris sat near the fire ________________.
  23. This knife is not ________________ enough.
  24. In my city, the temperature is one ________________ above zero.

Sentences from ClueBy, Tatoeba (CC BY 2.0 FR) and Common Voice (CC0). clueby.com

Answer key

  1. lie — to recline
  2. lie — an untruth
  3. pit — in a race
  4. ball — a dance
  5. stand — for spectators
  6. pit — a fruit stone
  7. ball — a great time
  8. cap — a hat
  9. ball — a round shape
  10. stand — on your feet
  11. sharp — clever
  12. cap — a lid
  13. pass — to succeed
  14. sharp — exactly
  15. pass — a permit
  16. degree — from a university
  17. stand — to bear
  18. lie — an untruth
  19. degree — an amount
  20. pass — to spend time
  21. cap — of ice
  22. pit — a hole
  23. sharp — with an edge
  24. degree — temperature

Multiple-meaning words list

Tick up to 10 words to build a worksheet with just those words.

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Frequently asked questions

What are multiple-meaning words?

Words with the same spelling and pronunciation but more than one meaning, like bark (of a dog or of a tree) or bank (for money or of a river). You can only tell which meaning is meant from the rest of the sentence.

Are multiple-meaning words the same as homonyms?

Mostly, yes. Teachers often use "multiple-meaning words" and "homonyms" for the same idea. Homophones are different: they sound alike but are spelled differently, like flour and flower.

Are the worksheets free?

Yes. Make and print as many as you like for home or classroom use. Each sheet has its own link, so you can print the same one again.

Where do the words come from?

From past ClueBy puzzles, a daily game where you sort twelve sentences by their missing word. A new puzzle every day adds four more words to this list.

Sentences from ClueBy, Tatoeba (CC BY 2.0 FR) and Common Voice (CC0). clueby.com